beef daube provençal

Ingredients
*Serves 4

2 tsp. olive oil
12 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 2) 
2 cups chopped carrot (about 4)
1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
dash of ground cloves
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1-2 bay leaves
wide egg noodles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Heat Dutch oven over low heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook 5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside. 
3. Increase heat to medium-high. Season meat with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add beef to pan (in small batches). Cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan. 
4. Add dash of wine to pan and saute onions for 8 minutes. Add more wine if the pan gets dry.
5. Add the rest of the wine to the pan bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen any remaining browned bits. Add reserved garlic, beef, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, carrot, and next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf), and bring to a boil.
6. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf. Serve over noodles.

* Adapted from Cooking Light

rosemary roasted potatoes

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds small red or white-skinned potatoes (mixed fingerling potatoes would be great here)
1/8 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters (focus on keeping the pieces more or less the same size for even cooking) and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning.
3. Remove the potatoes from the oven, season to taste, and serve.

*Adapted from Ina Garten

zuppa de farro (Italian wheat soup)

After taking an Italian cooking class at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts with my mom and sister, this was one recipe I knew I had to make again. It is a delicious, hearty, Tuscan Italian soup recipe from Roberta L. Dowling.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cans, cannellini beans
1 1/4 cups, Farro (Emmer)
salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. pancetta, cut in 1/4-inch dice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup Italian peeled tomato, chopped
4 fresh sage leaves
1 1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
4+ cups chicken stock
4 large leaves of kale, julienned
2 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, gently saute the pancetta in 2 tbsp. olive oil, when pancetta is rendered, add the chopped vegetables (onions, carrots, celery, and garlic). Add the white wine and allow it to evaporate. Add the tomatoes, sage, rosemary, and 2 cups stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Set aside 3/4 cup of the cooked beans. Puree the the remaining beans and their liquid in a food processor and add to the soup. Add the reserved beans. Bring to a simmer, add the Farro and stir to mix well. The liquid should be fairly dense, but not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add additional stock if necessary or desired. Cover the pan and cook the Farro for about 50 minutes or until the grains are swollen and soft, adding stock if necessary.
3. After a half hour of cooking add the kale. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Garnish the soup with the chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.
 

flat roasted chicken with rosemary

Ingredients

whole chicken, about 3 lbs.
salt and pepper
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
6 large garlic cloves, sliced
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
olive oil
1 lemon, sliced

Instructions

1. Wash the bird and pat it dry. Remove the backbone with a pair of poultry shears or with a sharp knife. Push down on the breast bone to open the bird like a book.
2. Put the chicken in a roasting pan and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the rosemary, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle with about 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Now, with your hands gently smear the seasonings all over the bird.
3. Turn the chicken breast side up in the roasting pan, top with the lemon slices, cover, and refrigerate a couple of hours.
4. Bring the chicken to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast the chicken for about an hour, or until it is beautifully browned and the juices run clear from the leg when pierced. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Put the bird on a cutting board and cut into 6 pieces with a heavy knife or a cleaver.

*From Heart of the Artichoke

Guinness lamb stew

This is a delicious recipe, but it takes a while on the stove so leave plenty of time or save it for the weekend.

Ingredients

8 tsp. olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 lb. boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 cups Guinness Stout
1 tbsp. tomato paste
3 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
2 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potatos
2 cups 1-inch-thick diagonally sliced carrot
8 oz. baby turnips, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp. whole-grain Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tsp. oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, thyme, and rosemary; saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place onion mixture in a large bowl. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle lamb evenly with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Dredge lamb in flour, and shake off excess. Return pan to medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add lamb mixture to pan; saute for 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add browned lamb to onion mixture.
2. Add beer to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 5 minutes). Return onion mixture and lamb to pan. Stir in the tomato paste; cook 30 seconds. Add broth and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Uncover and stir in potato, carrot, and turnips. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, the remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper, and 1 tbsp. mustard.
4. Sprinkle fresh parsley over each bowl.

*adapted from Cooking Light

bread machine rosemary focaccia

Ingredients

1 cup lukewarm water
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Place water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, garlic, 1 tablespoon rosemary, bread flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle; press Start.
2. Remove dough from bread machine when cycle is complete. Pat dough into either a 9x13 inch baking pan or 12 inch pizza pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough every inch or so. Brush with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with remaining rosemary.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover foccacia with plastic wrap while oven preheats.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

*From allrecipes.com

Kevin's rosemary ciabatta bread

Ingredients

1.5 cups water

1.5 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1 tbsp. olive oil

3 1/4 cups bread flour

1.5 tsp. bread machine yeast

3 fresh rosemary sprigs, soak in water or olive oil first

more olive oil

Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Place first 6 ingredients into the pan of the bread machine. Select the Dough cycle and hit Start.

2. Dough will be quite sticky and wet once cycle is completed. Don't add more flour! Place dough on a lightly floured board, covered with a large bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.

3. Lightly flour or use parchment lined baking sheets. Divide into 2 pieces, and form each into a 3x14 inch oval. Place loaves on prepared sheets, dimple surface, and lightly flour. Cover and let rise in a cold oven for 45 minutes.

4. Take the bread out of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

5. Dimple dough for a second time, and then place loaves in the oven, positioned on the middle rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, generously coat the loaves with olive oil using a pastry brush, then sprinkle fresh rosemary and Kosher salt on the loaves.

Scott's short ribs

Ingredients

6 beef short ribs, trimmed of fat

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion (2 onions)

4 cups large-diced celery (6 large stalks)

2 carrots, peeled and large-diced

1 small fennel, fronds, stems, and core removed, large-diced

1 leek, cleaned and large-diced, white part only

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 (750ml) bottle of burgundy or other dry red wine

fresh rosemary sprigs

fresh thyme sprigs

1 tbsp. brown sugar

6 cups beef broth

Instructions
 1. Preheat over to 400 degrees F.
2. Place short ribs on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and add the onion, celery, carrots, fennel, and leek and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour the wine over the vegetables, bring to a boil, and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tbsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Tie the rosemary and thyme together with kitchen twine and add to the pot.

4. Place the roasted ribs on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven and add the beef stock and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.

5. Carefully remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Discard the herb branches tied in twine (the actual herb leaves should not be attached to the stems anymore) and skim the excess fat. Cook the vegetables and sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes, until reduced.
6. Put the ribs back into the pot and heat through. Serve with the vegetables and sauce over mashe potatoes.

*from Ina Garten